President Donald Trump won approval to build a ballroom at one of his private New Jersey golf courses after a critical vote by local land-use officials and despite concerns about parking and infrastructure.
Bedminster Township’s Land Use Board voted Aug. 13 to approve a site plan and variance application for an 11,000-square-foot ballroom at Trump National Golf Club. The board voted after nearly two hours of testimony from Trump’s team and public comment from residents.
Trump’s representatives said they planned to begin construction by early 2027.
“We want to continue to have a world-class club in your community,” said David Schutzenhofer, the club’s general manager.
President Donald Trump at the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational at Trump National Golf Club on Friday, July 28, 2022 in Bedminister, N.J.Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Planning board documents show that a staircase will lead to the new ballroom on the main floor. A new bar and dining area are included on a rooftop terrace. A basement addition creates new storage space.
To support the expansion, Trump will add a parking lot near the club’s tennis court and upgrade the property’s sewage system.
Trump’s representatives told the board the project would be completed in phases, with golf course alterations followed by construction of a parking lot and a ballroom.
Schutzenhofer said the ballroom helps the club more easily host large events, such as weddings. He added that membership has grown to more than 500 families. The club can have a maximum of 700 members under the township’s code, board members said.
Trump has hosted parties at the club, including a 300-guest fundraiser held ahead of the 2020 presidential election. At another event during New Jersey’s gubernatorial race last year, Trump met with Republican candidates Jack Ciattarelli and Bill Spadea.
During a presentation held before the board’s vote, several residents questioned the ballroom’s effects.
Julia O’ Brien questioned whether a plan to alter the course’s retention basin will inadvertently impact the property’s stormwater runoff capacity.
Rebecca Johnson followed O’Brien with concerns about traffic.
“I’m concerned about the wear and tear on the roads,” Johnson said.
Carol Levin, a Bedminster resident, asked the board why it would approve a substantial expansion of an exclusive golf club.
A banquet area in the clubhouse of Trump National Golf Club. 5/24/17 Bedminster, N.J. (John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) NJ Advance Media for NJ.comNJ Advance Media for NJ.com
“I don’t know that we’re getting any township benefits from this,” Levin said.
Ed Russo, a longtime associate representing the Trump Organization, noted that he currently works for the federal government and defended the expansion by arguing that the club has a proven track record of handling massive crowds.
Russo said the facility recently hosted a LIV Golf tournament that drew more than 20,000 spectators. He also noted that the club routinely coordinates high-level security and the press during the president’s visits.
Russo praised Trump’s stewardship of the property, which was formerly the estate of automaker John DeLorean.
“People like to criticize him as an aggressive developer, but when he came to Bedminster, he did the right thing,” Russo said.
The Bedminster property was sold in 2000 through a bankruptcy auction. Trump acquired it in 2002. It features two courses, both of which opened in 2004, with DeLorean’s mansion as the clubhouse.
Trump also owns two other New Jersey courses in Colts Neck and Pine Hill.
When Trump transformed the estate into a golf course, he formally agreed to a land-use restriction that allowed the property to be used only as a golf course, Russo said, calling the president one of the “quintessential developers of our generation.”
The property also includes a conservation easement that provides habitat for endangered species.
The clubhouse of Trump National Golf Club which will host the US Women’s Open Golf tournament set for July. 5/24/17 Bedminster, N.J. (John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) NJ Advance Media for NJ.comNJ Advance Media for NJ.com
“He could have done something that was terrible, but he did something that was wonderful,” Russo said.
The White House directed questions to the Trump Organization, which is run by members of Trump’s family. A spokesperson for the organization did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump’s Bedminster project comes as he attempts to build a significantly larger ballroom at the White House. Trump ordered the demolition of the East Wing, sparking a legal battle over whether he had the authority to proceed without congressional approval.
Last week, Trump asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow construction to continue while his administration appeals a lower court’s order to halt the work.
Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.